Keith Hymel has been named vice president, sales strategy and technology for Hilton Hotels Corporation, effective immediately. Hymel most recently served as managing director, business organizational development, a position he held since March 1999.

Hymel will be responsible for overseeing Hilton`s sales technology strategy, which encompasses working with Hilton`s IT team as a sales sponsor of Global Sales Force Automation, working with regional hotel teams on strategic initiatives and projects involving technology, and liaisoning with the company`s e-Commerce team to enhance meeting planner services on www.hilton.com and other customer business-to-business opportunities. Hymel also will continue to work with the company`s sales organization to develop best practices on improving overall sales automation and streamlined business to support the overall customer experience. Hymel reports to Steve Armitage, senior vice president, sales for the hotel division of Hilton Hotels Corporation, and will continue to be based at the Hilton Sales Worldwide office in Dallas.

A 21-year Hilton veteran, Hymel began his hospitality career in 1979 as a food and beverage assistant at the Hilton New Orleans Airport. He held a variety of managerial positions from 1980 to 1986 in the food and beverage and sales departments at the Hilton Atlanta, which led to his appointment as executive assistant manager of the hotel in June 1986. In March 1987, Hymel was promoted to resident manager of the Hilton Miami Airport. Hymel became director of sales, national accounts for Hilton`s Washington D.C. sales office in June 1988 and was promoted to managing director of sales for the Washington DC, Atlanta and Florida national sales offices in May 1990. He was promoted to managing director of Hilton`s Midwest national sales office in May 1993 and assumed dual responsibility as Managing Director of Hilton Direct(R) USA and the Hilton Sales Worldwide Office in Dallas in May 1998, while assisting with developing Hilton`s sales technology development.

Hymel`s professional affiliations include the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), where he has served as Chair of the ASAE Fellows and Associate Advisory Committees; the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA); Meeting Professionals International (MPI); the Strategic Account Management Association and the Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP). He has received recognition for his accomplishments within Hilton Hotels Corporation, which include National Sales Team of the Year, National Salesperson of the Year, Managing Director of Sales and Peer of the Year.

Hymel earned a bachelor of science degree in hotel, restaurant and tourism administration from the University of New Orleans and an MBA degree from Olivet Nazarene University in Kankakee, Ill.